Ethoxyline resin-hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride compositions having long pot life



. nited States PatentOfiice ETHOXYLINE RESIN HEXACHLOROENDO- METHYLENETETRAHYDROPHTHALIC AN- HSZDRIDE COMPOSITIONS HAVING LONG P T LIFE Joseph Rosenberg and Mary Anne Grail, Schenectady,

N. Y., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application November 10, 1954 Serial No. 468,160

13 Claims. (Cl. 260-47) Our invention relates to new and useful resin compositions. More particularly, our invention relates to resin compositions having desirable physical and electrical characteristics and improved pot life.

Epoxy or ethoxyline resins are well known in the art. For example, U. S. Patent 2,324,483 to Castan, discloses epoxy resins comprising the reaction product of phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups. and an epihalogenohydrin, e. g. epichlorhydrin .(the product being cured to the substantially thermoset stage by the-use of a polycarboxylic anhydride or acid such as phthalic anhydride). The resinous reaction products are generally complex resins compiising. a polyether derivative of the polyhydric phenol used containing epoxide groups, are known variously as epoxide, epoxy, and ethox-yline resins and are sold, for example, under the trade names of Epon and Araldite resins. Such resins may be easily converted to the substantially thermoset stage by means of a cure accelerator such asphthalic anhydride or' other polycarboxylic acids and anhydrides. It has been found that such ethoxyline resins have poor flame-retardant properties, exhibit an undesirable decrease in strength at x 2 Briefly stated, our invention comprises mixing together a chlorinated phenyl compound and hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride or acid or mixturesof the anhydride and acid.and;combining thismixturewith-g an ethoxyline resin to. produce a heat-curable resin havingan extended pot. life. In the following, description it will be understood that hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid may be substituted for the hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydridein wholelor in part, the equivalent amounts beingproperly-adjusted.

The-features of our invention which we believe to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Our invention itself, however, both as to, its organization and method, of-operation; together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the, following description.

The ethoxyline resins defined above as utilizedin our invention are well known inthe art. They are described" in Castan Patents 2,324,483 and'2,444,333, British Patent 518,057, and British Patent 579,698. Generally, the ethoxyline resins describedtherein are the reaction prod net of an epihalogenohydrin such'as epichlorohydrinand}- a phenol having at least two phenolic. hydroxy groups, such as bis-(4-hydroxy phenyl), dimethylmethane. U. S. Patents 2,494,295; 2,500,600; and 2,51*1,913 also disclose ethoxyline' resins which may be used in connection with the present invention. The above patents are hereby incorporated byreference in this application; The ethoxyline. resinsused herein contain more than one epoxy group per molecule. They may be prepared by reacting a polyhydric' alcohol or phenol; such as hydroquinone,

resorcinol, glycerin, and'condensation products of phenols with ketones, for example, bis-(4-hydroxy phenol)-2,2- propane with epichlorohydrin. The reaction of epichlorohydrin with his (4-hydroxy-phenol) -2,2-propane, for'example, is as follows? tion, are very useful, the pot life of such combinations" of ethoxyline and hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride is rel'ativelyshort, making it imperative that the material be used s'oon after mixing. If not used within a matter of normally less than an hour the material gels and has'limited, if any usefulness atv elevated temperatures of about 100 C. to 120 C.- 7

It is, therefore, an object; of our invention to provide resin compositions comprising ethoxyline resins and hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic 'anhydrideor hexachl'oroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid which are characterized substantially by ,the: advantages of such materials" previously cured with hexachl'o roend'omethylenete'trahydrophthalic anhydride and, in addition, have an improved pot life., w

where n' has an average value ranging. from about 01 to about 7. Such ethoxyline resins containing 1,2-epoxide groups are sold under the name of Epon Resins by Shell Chemical Corporation, or under the name Araldite by Ciba Company. Pertinent data on:Epon resins are given inv Table I below.

TABLEv I H Epoxide Approximate Epon No. Equivalent Esterlfication M. P., 0

. Equivalent at least three chlorineatoms per molecule.

. Liquid The chlorinated phenyl compounds which are used in our invention are those containing more than two or Thus trichlorobenzene has been found useful in this respect; The diphenyls, terphenyls, and higher phenyl compounds having at least three chlorine atoms per moleculeare also eflicacious. For example, trichlorodiphenyl, tetrachlorodiphenyl, pentachlorodiphenyl hexachlorodiphenyl', eta

4 Patented June 24, 1958 n are used to advantage. Similarly, chlorinated terphenyls may be used, decachloroterphenyl being typical of such compounds, as well as quaterphenyls etc. Mixtures of such chlorinated materialsmay alsobe used.

The use of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride as acuring agent for ethoxyline resins is set forth in copending Rudofi application, Serial No. 305 ,913, filed .August,22,.1952 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application which is mentioned above. This application is incorporated herein by reference. In this reference application the hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride added to the ethoxyline resin in amounts of from five percent to 70 percent of the total weight of :the combination. Preferably the hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride andfethoxyline resin are in such proportions that there are from 0.8 to 1.2 equivalents of hexachloroendomethyh enetetrahydrophthalic anhy dride for each expoxide equivalent in the ethoxyline resin. The hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride is used in the present applicationin the same amounts. Hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid in equivalent amounts can be substituted for theanhydride in whole or inpart. Where reference is madefhereinafter to hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride alone in connection with the present invention, it will, therefore, be understood that such reference includes hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid in equivalent amounts.

We have. unexpectedly found that by mixing or dissolving hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride or acid in chlorinated phenyl compounds prior toits addition to the ethoxyline resin the pot life of the resultingfresin. mix is considerablyleugthened permitting greater latitude in the use of the resin. Furthermore, the

viscosity of a resin such as .Epon 834 is substantially reduced from that approximating an SAE 40 oil using hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride alone to that of a light machine oilvof SAE or less whereby its usefulness in impregnating coils .and other parts having intricateand tiny interstices is greatly enpentachlorodiphenyl dissolved almost immediately in the resin whereas in a check run without the pentachlorodiphenyl the same amount of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride took about ten minutes to dissolve in a like amount of the e'thoxyline resin at 140 C. to 150 C. The final hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride-pentachlorodiphenyl-ethoxyline resin mixture had a viscosity about that the SAE 10 oil and was cured by heating for 18 hours at 150 C.

Example 2 Example 3 ..Hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride in the amountof 97.6 parts was dissolved in 20 parts of cured similarly.

pentachlorodiphenyl heated to 145? C; The solution was poured into and mixed with 80 parts ethoxylinc resin (Epon 834) The resultant solution which formed im mediately had a viscosity like that of Example 1 and Example 4 Hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride 1 in the amount often parts was dissolved in five parts of decachloroterphenylat 155 C. The solution was added to 12.2 parts of ethoxyline resin (Epon 834) giving a hanced. The viscosity ofother ethoxyline resins is proportionately reduced depending upon their molecular weights. At the same time. the electrical characteristics of theusualhexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride .ethoxyline resin mixtures are still desirable.

The chlorinated phenyl compound is mixed. with percentby-weight of the weight of the ethoxyline resin and hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhy dride combination.

' The following. will illustrate the practice-of ou r invention, it being realized thatthe specific ingredients used therein, given in parts by weight, are exemplary only and may be replaced in whole-or in part by other'similar ingredients as taught above.

Exemp r. 1

Hexachloroeudomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride in the amount of 100 parts was dissolved in 20.5 parts of pentachlorodiphenylwhich. had been heated to 140" C. The resulting-solution was added with stirring to 82 parts ethoxyline resin (Epon 834) heated to 140 C. The hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalicI anhydride anhydridemix which cured similarly to that of Example 1 and had a similar viscosity. t

The cured resins formedfrom Examples 1 through 4 above are instantaneously self-extinguishing when tested for fire retardancy in accordance with ASTR D63544. Their heat distortion point when determined according to ASTM D643 is about 138 C. Their 60 cycle power factor at 100C. is about 0.66%.

While the heat distortion temperature is some 24 C. lower than for a resin cured solely with hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride and the power factor is about four to five times that of such resins, the

the hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhyf longer pot life and lowered viscosity more than offsets such differences for many uses.

The resins of the present invention are decidedly su-.

perior tophthalic anhydridecured resins. A typical phthalic anhydride cured ethoxyline resin (Araldite CN501) had a flammability under the above ASTM test of 0.84 inch per minute, a heat distortion point of 109 C. and a 60 cycle power factor of 0.78% at C.

When the uncured resins. of Examples 1 through 4 above were compared as to gel time at 100 C. with a mixture of 91.5 parts ethoxyline resin (Epon 834) and 111 parts hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride mixed to solution at 140 C. the resin of Example 1 had a gel time of 109.3 minutes, that of Example 2 a gel time of 138.5 minutes, thatof Example 3 a geltime of about minutes, and that of Example 4 had a gel time of 51 minutes. Theabove ethoxyline-hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride mixture gelled in 33 minutes. From these data, the usefulness of our new compositions will at once be apparent. All sampleswere tested at 100 ,C. with a General Electric gel time meter having a motor driven paddle inserted in the resinv which was. turned at constant torque until stopped bythe'gelling of the'mixa As" to the;curing of our new resin mixtures, it will be realized that such a process is essentially one of time and p temperature; Thus our resins may be cured at higher temperatures of up to about 200 C. for. shorter times than those shown or at lower temperatures; say conven- '5 iently down to about 100 C. for longer times. "The curing time will also depend upon the composition of the resin.

While normally the use of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid in lieu of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride in curing ethoxyline resins would result in shrinkage and the evolution of water detracting from the usefulness of the final product, we have unexpectedly found that no such shrinkage or water formation takes place when the acid is used in conjunction with the chlorinated phenyl compounds set forth herein.

' If desired, in order to obtain varying qualities in the final product, other materials may be added to our novel and useful resin mixtures. For example, other dicarboxyli'c acids or anhydrides may be used in conjuction with the hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride or acid, including adipic acid, phthalic anhydride, and other materials which are well known in the art. Some of these materials are set forth in Patent 2,683,131, July 6, 1954, assigned to the same assignee as the present application. For example, up to three parts of phthalic anhydride may be substituted for equivalent parts of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride or acid without seriously detracting from the characteristics of the resins in the above examples.

If desired, the life of our resins may be further extended by chilling them to room temperature or below and maintaining them at such temperature until ready for use when they are again heated to the working temperature. In such case we prefer to grind or subdivide the resin in the cooled state. i

Our new resinous materials may be used as they are in the cast condition. They may also be used in coating or impregnating textiles or glass cloth tapes, acetone, and other well known polar solvents being utilized to dissolve the resins. They can be used to coat metals. Varying concentrations of solvents are used according to the coating and the final characteristics desired. The material to be coated is treated with the solution and then dried and cured.

Our resins are also useful in preparing laminates, adhesives, and the like. Filler materials of various kinds can also be added to the resins described herein to make structures or compositions having desired properties. For example, they can be filled with magnetic powders, silica, mica, asbestos, clay, carbon, graphite, etc. Many other uses of such resins will occur to those skilled in the art.

: While we have described this invention with particular connection with ce'rtain examples, we wish it to be understood that We desire to protect in the following claims all variations of our invention which do not depart from the spirit or scope thereof.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A composition of matter comprising the reaction product of (1) a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2-epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups and (2) a composition comprising (a) a material selected from the class consisting of chlorinated benzene and chlorinated polyphenyls having at least three chlorine atoms per molecule and mixtures thereof and (b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, and hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

2. A composition of matter comprising the reaction product of (1) a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2- epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a poly- '6 hydric organic compound selected from theclass consist ing of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having atleast two phenolic hydroxy groups and'(2) a composition comprising (a) a material selected from the class consisting of pentachlorodiphenyl, hexachlorodiphenyl, decachloroterphenyl, tetrachlorodiphenyl, trichlorodiphenyl and mixtures thereof and (b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride and hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acids and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complexepoxide resin.

3. A composition of matter comprising: the reaction product of (1) a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2- epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups and (2) a composition comprising (a) pentachlorodiphenyl and (b) materials selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride and hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acids, and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

4. A composition of matter comprising the reaction product of (1) a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2- epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a'polyhydric organic compound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups and (2) a composition comprising (a) decachloroterphenyl and (b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendoinethylenetetrahydi'ophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and'the amount of (b) being from aboutS to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

5. A composition of matter comprising the reaction product of (1) a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2- epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups and (2) a composition comprising (4) tetrachlorodiphenyl and (b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendoniethylenetetrarhydrophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b),' and the amount of (b) being from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

6. A composition of matter comprising the reaction.

product of (1) a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2- epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups and (2) a composition comprising (a) trichlorodiphenyl and (b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

7. A composition of matter comprising the reaction product of (1) a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2 epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups and (2) a composition comprising (a) hexachlorodiphenyl and (b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid, and :mixtures thereof, the amount of..(a) being from about 20 to. 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the ,amount," of (b.) being, from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

8.. The, processwhich comprises (1) mixing at a tem-v peratureof from 80. C. to 150 C. a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2-epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of apolyhydric'organic compound selected from the class consisting of ,polyhydricalcohols and phenols having at least, two phenolic hydroxy groups with (2) a compositioncomprising .(a) a materialselected from the class consisting of chlorinated benzene and chlorinated polyphenyls having at least three chlorine atoms per molecule and mixtures thereof and (b) a material selected from the class consisting ,of, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic .anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic, acid, and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20,,to. 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of ,(b), being from about 5 to 70 percent,

I by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

9. The, process which comprises 1) mixing at a temperatureof, from about 80 C. to 150 C. a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2:epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class, consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups with 2) a composition comprising (a) pentachlorodiphenyl and (b) a material selectedfrom the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid, and mixturesthereof, thetamount of (a), being from about 20 to 70 percent, byweight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from aboutS to, percent, .by weight, of said complex epoxideresin.

. 10. The process which comprises (1) mixing at a temperature pf from about; 80 C. to 150 C. a complex epoxide resin, containing 1,2-epoxide groups and compris ing a polyetherof a polyhydric organic compound selected fromvthe class consistingof polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups with (2), a composition comprising (a) decachloroterphenyl and;,(b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexaehloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid, and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from about 5 :to 70 percent, by weight, .of said complex epoxide resin. V p V p it 1 11. The process which comprises (1) mixing at atemperatureoflfrom about80 C. ,to,150 C. a complex epoxide. resin containing 1,2-epoxidegroups and compris-l ing a polyether of a polyhydric organiecompound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenolshaving at least two phenolic hydroxy groups with (2)v a composition comprising (a) triehlorodiphenyl and (b), a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid, and mixtures thereof,.the.amount of (a) being from about 20 to percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight of said complex epoxide resin.

1 12. The process which comprises (1) mixing at a temperature of from about C. to C. a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2-epoxide groups and compris ing a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups with (2) a composition comprising (a) tetrachlorodiphenyl and (b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid, and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being from, about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin. 7

13. The process which comprises (1) mixing at a temperature of from about 80 C. to 150 C. a complex epoxide resin containing 1,2-epoxide groups and comprising a polyether of a polyhydric organic compound selected from the class; consisting of polyhydric alcohols and phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups with (2) a composition comprising (a) hexachlorodiphenyl and ,(b) a material selected from the class consisting of hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexachloroendomethylenetetrahydrophthalic acid, and mixtures thereof, the amount of (a) being from about 20 to 70 percent, by weight, of (b), and the amount of (b) being'from about 5 to 70 percent, by weight, of said complex epoxide resin.

. References, Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,606,910 Herzfeldet al. Aug. 12, 1952 2,637,716 011 5 May 5, 1953 2,744,845 Rudoff May 8, 1956 VFOREIGN PATENTS 511,733 Belgium Nov.29,1952 

1. A COMPOSITION OF MATTER COMPRISING THE REACTION PRODUCT OF (1) A COMPLEX EPOXIDE RESIN CONTAINING 1,2-EPOXIDE GOUPS AND COMPRISING A POLYETHER OF A POLYHYDRIC ORGANIC COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS AND PHENOLS HAVING AT LEAST TWO PHENOLIC HYDROXY GROUPS AND (2) A COMPOSITION COMPRISING (A) A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF CHLORINATED BENZENE AND CHLORINATE POLYPHENYLS HAVING AT LEAST THREE CHLORINE ATOMS PER MOLECULE AND MIXTURES THEREOF AND (B) A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF HEXACHOLROENDOMETHYLENETETRAHYDROPHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE, AND HEXACHLOROENDOMETHYLENETETRAHYDROPHTHALIC ACID MIXTURES THEREOF, THE AMOUNT OF (A) BEING FROM ABOUT 20 TO 70 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, OF (B), AND THE AMOUNT OF (B) BEING FROM ABOUT 5 TO 70 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, OF SAID COMPLEX EPOXIDE RESIN. 